


A New Start

by Nununununu



Category: Original Work
Genre: Acts of Kindness, Aftermath, Disabled Character, Don't copy to another site, First Meetings, Friendship, Gen, Magic, Non-Sexualized/Non-Fetishized Crossdressing, Trans Character
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-02
Updated: 2020-05-02
Packaged: 2021-03-02 05:14:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,150
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23759683
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nununununu/pseuds/Nununununu
Summary: What else to do after defeating the Dark Lord, but get to know his former minions and have a spot of lunch.
Relationships: Girl Who Killed The Dark Lord & Her New Inherited Minions Who She Would Like To Be Less Scared, Original Character(s) & Original Character(s)
Comments: 10
Kudos: 33
Collections: Gen Freeform Exchange2020





	A New Start

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Elsin](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Elsin/gifts).



> For Elsin, inspired by a number of your fun prompts :)

“Oh dear,” A grimace crossed Elsbeth’s face as she caught sight of her reflection in the great mirror, “This won’t really do.”

The fizzing embers that marked all that was left of the Grim Blood were fading away, leaving behind a pattern upon the floor of the castle’s massive entrance hall that was quite attractive, if one didn’t know what it was. Golden sparks had shot out from the Grim Blood’s crooked wand when Beth had picked it up after he’d fallen, and she’d been aware of her magic mingling with its ambient magic, the two weaving together and – in a sense – changing each other, and that magic changing _her,_ also in a sense.

Based on the Grim Blood’s dire fashion choices himself and his attitude generally, Beth couldn’t really say she was surprised to see her reflection newly decked out in stiff black embroidery, with a skull-and-spider brooch fastened at the centre of the inflexibly high collar, but it was the masses of cobweb-strung skirts hanging around her ankles that she didn’t especially care for, along with the fact that she had the decided suspicion the wand had decided to stuff her into a corset. There was certainly a lot of unpleasant squeezing going on around her midriff.

“If – if it displeases you, my – my Glorious One,” The Grim Blood’s head minion was evidently unclear on how to address her, even as she flung herself prostate at Beth’s feet, followed by her fellow three minions hastening to their knees, “We shall pay for the – for the disappointment in – in –”

The woman could barely speak for trembling.

“It’s all right,” Beth hurried forwards to usher the head minion up before she could say something like ‘pay for it in our blood’ which, given the Grim Blood’s proclivities, seemed likely. She touched a hunched shoulder lightly, felt the prostate figure flinch, and so quickly retracted her hand, “It’s really not a big deal. Until we’ve found a way to break the curse and free you all, the land will just have to make do with me as a temporary Not Very Dark Lord and I’ll just –” She tucked as much of the lace as she could behind her ankles and huffed a faint laugh, “I’ll just have to make do as well.”

“You –” Clear shock drove the head minion to dare peek up at her, not quite making eye contact even so, pushing herself shakily to her feet when Beth beckoned her upwards. The older woman kept her head bowed, her long hair falling in red ringlets over her narrow face, her lashes dark and thick over her frightened eyes, “My – Glorious One, you – would t-truly _free_ us? You do not wish us to – serve your every whim and com-command?”

“Well, if you wouldn’t mind, I’d like you to tell me where the kitchen is so I can make us all a big pot of tea,” Beth smiled at her reassuringly, which sent the watching minions into a flurry of startled uncertainty, while the head minion fought to hide a gasp. Beth angled herself back a little to give the woman further room to rise when she felt ready.

Winding the heavy tresses the Grim Blood’s wand had seen fit to give her into a messy bun, Beth tucked the wand in amongst them. She extended her smile to the other minions as well, “I’d also like it if you could all tell me your names.”

“Anto-” The head minion paused, started to edit herself. Her fingers clenched like they wanted to form fists, “The Grim Blood always called me – ‘oi you’.” Her voice lowered until it was almost inaudible, “Or Antony.”

“What would you prefer me to call you?” Beth’s brow wrinkled, regrettably unsurprised.

“Antonia,” The older woman started to shrink into herself, but then straightened up, raising her chin almost defiantly.

“Then I’m pleased to meet you, Antonia,” Beth stuck out her hand to shake.

“Uh –” Panic crossed Antonia’s face, before she swallowed and firmed her shoulders. She visibly stopped herself from bowing over Beth’s hand, “P-Pleased to meet you too, Glor-”

“Beth,” Beth corrected, “Or Elsbeth. Whichever you prefer. My mother always calls me ‘you nuisance’.”

Someone amongst the other minions spluttered a quiet giggle they then hastily muffled. There was a collective cringe, until Beth failed to rain down hellfire or whatever her predecessor would have done.

“The – the Grim Blood didn’t like us to speak to him unless spoken to,” A man’s voice broke out, almost challenging despite the quiver to it. He was barely more than a youth, really, although Beth saw that the Grim Blood had seen fit to deck him out in a full set of spiked armour. It clashed very badly with his round and friendly freckled face. He clanked as he took a step forwards, “I’m Clarence. Formerly known as the Dread Slayer.”

“I think I like Clarence better,” Beth shook the hand Clarence went to offer her, hesitated, almost withdrew and then offered her again.

“I’m Mara,” A curly-haired girl pushed her glasses further up her nose as she stepped forwards, hampered by –

Beth blinked –

Hampered by a great iron ball fastened to her ankles by a strong chain.

“Mara kept trying to run away,” Antonia bit her lip, “The Grim Blood –” Her voice failed her for a second, Mara wrapping a broad hand around the older woman’s elbow in support, “The Grim Blood kept her for –”

“Because I’m part fae,” Mara said fairly cheerfully, all things considered. Beth could well imagine the whole litany of unpleasant spells the Grim Blood had created using snippets of Mara’s unevenly cut hair alone, for a start, although thankfully the girl’s skin appeared free of binding spells. Mara cracked her knuckles, “If you need someone beaten up, give me Clarence’s sword and I’ll do it for you.” Her courage abruptly failed her and she ducked her head, “Glorious – I mean, Mistress Elsbeth.”

“Seriously, just Elsbeth. Or Beth,” Beth removed the wand from her altered hair. A focus inwards, rifling through all the unpleasant remains of the Grim Blood’s magic twisting alongside her own, and a sharp tug –

Mara gasped as the chains disintegrated, flaking away into nothing.

“Do you want that off as well?” Beth was careful only to glance at and not point the wand towards Clarence’s armour.

“Um,” Clarence was eyeing the wand apprehensively, his tanned face gone ashen, freckles standing out on his skin, “Maybe – later? Please.”

“Sure,” Beth tucked it back into her hair, aware of the ripple of surprise that passed round the four minions – the former minions. The _people_. The people the Grim Blood along with the curse upon the land had essentially enslaved. She could feel how depleted her magic was from the earlier battle and bringing the remains of the Grim Blood’s magic under her control. Things like undoing her predecessor’s cruel spells on these people she could still achieve now, but breaking the curse was going to take more preparation and work. Speaking of which – “Tea? Please?”

“Oh – of course,” Antonia hastened to direct the group towards a reasonably unremarkable door set to one side of the entrance hall, and proved herself brave enough to walk alongside Beth as they all traversed the gloomy corridors that led to the kitchen, the presence of skeletons of fantastical beasts lurking in alcoves and posed in corners doing nothing for the general ambiance. A tiny smile crossed her face as she saw Beth staring at them, “They’re fake, my – Beth.”

The use of her nickname made Beth grin.

“Oh?” She wheeled herself up a slope that appeared where there had previously been stairs, appreciative of the unspoken kindness even if she could have dealt with it herself, “I’d love to have seen what they looked like when they were alive. If they had been alive, I mean.”

“I could – I could maybe do a spell to bring them to life?” Mara offered, “If you’d like that.”

“I think we should probably all have a good rest and do something about the curse and the state of the castle first,” Antonia said and promptly blanched, but Beth just nodded.

“I agree. After sandwiches?” Her stomach was aching with hunger and it was the one thing she could reliably put together if unleashed on a kitchen.

“Sandwiches –?” Clarence’s brow wrinkled in confusion, although he’d thankfully recovered his colour.

“Are delicious,” Mara put in, “Mm, cucumber ones, and cheese, and oh, maybe even some –”

She went on listing potential fillings happily for a while.

“The – the Grim Blood always had us cook him a feast,” Antonia explained to Beth, “If you want a good spread, Clarence is best at it. I’m the desserts person.”

“Ooh,” Beth perked right up in her chair, “Desserts?”

“All kinds of desserts,” Mara grinned.

“ _Ooh_ ,” Beth had always had a weakness for sweet things. Passing into a bleak but usable kitchen, she beckoned for the fourth and as yet silent member of the small group to catch up and join them, given the creature was lingering further down the corridor. He navigated his way in through the doorway after a moment’s indecision. 

“Glad you’re joining us,” Giving the creature a grin, Beth made her way past the huge fireplace to pour water into a heavy iron kettle and put it onto boil, laughing and waving off the others when each one made a form of protest, as if anxious to do the task for her.

“The Grim Blood would have chopped off our hands had we not done it for him,” Mara confessed. Clarence was already pulling various food out of an ancient looking fridge that thankfully appeared clean, the spells on it working well despite its outside appearance, and Antonia was conjuring up several loaves of soft, wonderfully smelling bread.

“I’ll make some desserts by hand for afterwards,” Her smile was brighter, more confident now.

“Please do,” Beth glanced down at the clothes the Grim Blood’s remaining magic had stuffed her into, gauged her own magic levels again, and reached for the wand. The neat three piece suit she transformed the skirts and frills into had her letting out a sigh of relief. Sensing the soundless, semi-sentient hum of the wand’s disappointment however, she relented enough to retain a subtle skull and spider motif, and felt it give the equivalent of a contented purr.

“Will you allow me?” Mara stepped forwards when Beth next tugged in frustration at all the hair, and she nodded, relaxing as the half-fae girl ran her fingers through the long tresses and they disappeared, leaving Beth with her usual short back and sides.

“That suits you much more,” Mara nodded, pleased.

“Thank you,” Feeling much more like herself, Beth used the wand to lever open a cupboard and levitated the correct number of cups out, and looked about her for tea.

A huge paw reached down to tentatively pass her the pot, long claws careful not to scrape the metal sides.

“Many thanks to you too,” Beth grinned as the fourth of the former minions ducked his head bashfully, partially unfolding his scarred yet still magnificent wings.

“Sandwiches coming up in a moment,” Clarence was hard at work, while Antonia was stirring a divine smelling concoction, Mara fetching a dish to cook the pudding in.

“We _never_ did anything like this together with the Grim Blood,” Antonia shot a shyly pleased look at Beth, “It’s nice.”

“It’s really nice,” Mara agreed, and Clarence added his agreement too.

“Would you teach me how to cook sometime?” Beth asked her new friends as she measured out the tea leaves. Delighted by the lessening of their fear, by the hope she felt for the future, by the good she hoped she could do together with them for the country they all shared – the land that had suffered for so long under the previous Dark Lord’s rule.

“O-of course!” Antonia only stuttered once in pleased surprise at being asked, while Clarence flushed and Mara gave her a happy salute.

Beth found herself grinning more than ever, turning to look in askance up at the great scaled creature now carefully setting plates out on the counter for the food.

“I’m not much of a cook,” The dragon admitted shyly, curling his long tail around his hindlegs as he spoke, his gentle voice and demeanour quite unlike his fearsome appearance, “But I love telling stories.”

“Perhaps you could tell us some after lunch then, please,” Beth suggested and he nodded.

“I’d be delighted to.”

So after they’d taken their tea and sandwiches outside to eat in the courtyard, away from the gloom of the castle, and after they’d eaten enough dessert they each had to lie down on the grass and soak in the sunshine with their hands on their full bellies – the dragon did.

And each of those tales had a happy ending, too.


End file.
